


Panacea

by lulahbelle



Category: The Eagle | The Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-04
Updated: 2013-03-04
Packaged: 2017-12-04 07:23:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/708083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lulahbelle/pseuds/lulahbelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Esca needs distraction from his pain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Panacea

**Author's Note:**

> Not porn. Probably bad for that. Not that my porn is good but it's better. I have been writing other things with more porn in them, obviously, but porn is hard to write. 
> 
> I wrote this because I feel so overwhelmingly sorry for Esca and was drawn to the idea of Marcus consoling him.
> 
> May feature belly rubs because... you know... reasons.

It was a good lunch, that began with food and ended with a struggle in the tall grass. Where thighs locked together and breaths harsh, they rubbed needs until their bodies writhed and arched, their lips gasping to the gods of different people, in two languages to express how good it was.

They made their way back to work afterward and stuck hard to task for hours with only an occasional look at one another. Marcus saluted each meeting of eyes with a smile, but noticed that Esca's expressions grew sadder, as if his thoughts were darkening with the day.

When their work was done, Esca refused to accompany him to the baths, slipping off to home all alone. Marcus tried to pry as to why but Esca's eyes were away and he received no answer.

*

On his return Marcus strode tall into the deep yellow dim of Esca's sleeping quarters. He slid off his tunic to slip into sleeping attire. Esca sat on the bed, looked up at him, eyes rapt as he changed, as if searching for something in his form.

Marcus consciously stretched out the period of nakedness in the exchange of garments, expecting Esca to smile lustful, or reach for him, thinking it was heavy need that left him so laboured but all he received was a cold, penetrating stare, at him and through him at once.

He went on with his business, but once done noticed there was no new mood to Esca's countenance.

"Is all well with you?" Marcus asked.

Esca nodded with a smile but it relaxed off sharply.

Marcus knew he could not demand explanation from him, but hoped that if he showed desire for it its flow might be encouraged, so he stood still and quiet and looked to him concerned.

Aware he was a subject of fascination, Esca looked Marcus in the eyes and held there a while, then he shook his head and said, voice slow, "The spirits of my loved ones are heavy with me today."

"Well sacrificing your life to the dead is not right. I would think my time proves that."

"Yes but you too know how right it seems."

Marcus nodded feintly at the truth.

"At lunch, when I was with you, I felt so happy I was here," Esca laughed bitterly, "What good can that say of my loyalty to my family?"

"I survive because of your loyalty, no one alive will doubt it while I'm present, not even you."

Esca face softened but the line of his lips were unaltered.

Marcus sat next to him and reached, gripping the cord of muscle at his shoulder, pressing and rubbing it firmly until Esca's body curled a little, his breaths deeply taken. Where he might just recline and passively surrender to the comfort Marcus meant him, Esca instead raised a hand to settle ontop of Marcus' touch stopping it.

There was something so beautiful and soft to him, sorrowful in the low shadows of the flaring lamp light.

Marcus heart beat irregular at the contact between their hands, when Esca's hand moved to stroke his he grew warm and sure of the degree to which he would given anything for him.

This was familiar, for touch had always made some deep connection between them that was salient beyond all words. Cherishable.

"I am ok," Esca said.

Marcus knew the lie of his words through the hard, tensely bunched muscles of his body, "Your body's tight, I do not see how you will rest like it."

"Is it not obvious I don't intend to rest."

"It's obvious you intend to try not to, but not how you assumed I would allow that to occur."

Esca smiled small and Marcus stroked his cheek with the back of his hand with a softness he had never had the confidence to express to a soul before Esca. He had been so clumsy and large before, so far from fitting with the mould of manly impenetrability expected of him but unable to face the possibility of showing his true self for fear.

He was changed for knowing Esca, better, stronger for the courage he had in facing his many weaknesses without any urge to turn away from himself.

The gratitude he felt was large as always and he had to touch to convey it, to push it on into Esca where words would never do.

Esca listed into the touch eyes shut, but it was not long before he straightened and insisted once more, "I am ok."

"You are strong, I see you do not need my touch but I fail to see why you should not have it when I am so willing to give."

Marcus could only try to convey some of his desire to help Esca with words so he kissed his neck, mouthed, slow and delberate, licking him until he received a sigh.

"Your loyalty is clear from every line of your body and every look of your eyes," he said low and soft against his flesh

When he brought himself back Esca's sea grey eyes were still sorrow itself at him, illustrating his point.

"I want nothing but to believe you." He said.

"Then you should."

Esca's breath huffed frustrated, "I cannot. It is far different than you can see. You have enough of your world to keep you. All I have of mine is what I alone keep and I loose more of it with every new, different moment of pleasure."

Marcus sank his head down to kiss at his shoulder slowly.

Reflexive one of Esca's hands came to the nape of his neck and stroked in gratitude for his attempts to soothe. Marcus looked up to him. As expected Esca's eyes carried only a cautious pleasure that turned cold and focused on the world far beyond him the second he stopped touching him.

Before he could think for himself at Esca's strange behaviour, Esca said, "I am not with you. I am in some other bitter, cold place surrounded by loved ones whose smiles I can see but cannot touch."

Marcus felt the dagger of loss and loneliness run him through too as he looked at the sad, silent confusion in Esca's eyes.

He held to his face and spoke to his eyes, "I am sorry. I cannot imagine I would suffer half as nobly as you in your place."

Still as stone Esca said,"I must learn to brave my suffering and not leave it behind to live the way I have done since I was freed."

Marcus could not bear such severe, seperating words from his beloved. On instinct he slipped one hand down and stroked his stomach with his fingertips. Esca liked to be touched here, what history he had with the gesture Marcus did not know but it always without fail excited him beyond any objection.

Even now Esca looked down to his hand as it spread and touched him and his breath changed, a gulped, harsh, desperate sound in the silence of the room.

His eyes flipped up to meet Marcus' and when they met there was a burst of what looked like pleasure over his features that was quickly replaced by the enforced rigidity of pain.

He shook his head.

Marcus tried to smile as he said,"I can feel you want me still."

"Of course." Esca sighed at him, "I would have to be dead in ground not to and that is the problem, I want you sometimes more than I would ever have wanted to honour my father.

Taking this as sign Marcus clawed the hand at Esca's belly and bent his head once more to suckling at the skin of his shoulder.

Swayed a little helplessly Esca marvelled, "Aah you can be so soft," eyes lustful and dark down at him.

"Soft? But I am far too warrior like and manly for such a word," Marcus said, smirking, trying to lead Esca to grin at him.

Esca looked up to him and finally, really seeing him, laughing, said, "Oh yes, apologies, it is clearly some misunderstanding between our people's gestures."

Marcus laughed at his laughter and Esca reached out and hand slotted beneath Marcus' tunic wrapped around the muscle above his collarbone massaging it and though his face fell to sorrow once more he whispered to him, "Keep me here with you."

It was all the encouragement Marcus needed to kiss his way down Esca's torso.


End file.
